Gay sex in kids' park

6:47am Wednesday 6th December 2006

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WORRIED parents are boycotting a children's play park because they claim it has been taken over by men looking for gay sex.

The parents say they have contacted both Bexley Council and the police in an effort to stop the activities at the park in Sidcup Place, Sidcup, which is close to the town centre.

“I don’t care if it is heterosexual or homosexual, they shouldn’t be using a children’s play area for these kind of activities.”

But they claim nothing has been done.

One mum, who is too frightened to be named, told News Shopper: "We noticed men had started loitering in the area and then disappeared into the bushes.

"I actually saw one man dropping his trousers as he went.

"I would rather face a gang of youths in the play park than this."

She says parents, mainly mums with young children, were now too worried about the situation to take their children to play there.

The woman added: "I take my own and my friends' children there to play.

"They like it because it is such a lovely park."

According to the woman, several mums have contacted the police about the situation.

She said: "I called the police from the play park one day when it was going on but no-one came."

The 35-year-old added: "The park is quite isolated and when we see these men loitering, we can't say what they are up to, but it makes us feel so uncomfortable we have to leave."

She says there are often lots of men sitting nearby in their cars, on their own.

They get out of their cars and loiter before disappearing into the shrubbery with other men.

She said: "It is quite unnerving, especially when your child needs to use the public toilets.

"I don't care if it is heterosexual or homosexual, they shouldn't be using a children's play area for these kind of activities."

The woman says she and other mums have approached Bexley Council's park ranger about the situation.

She said: "He told us the area was patrolled regularly and the toilets are under surveillance.

"But we have never seen these patrols when we are there and the activities are still going on."

She added: "It is sad because it is such a fantastic park and people won't go there anymore because of this."

Bexley Council says one of its rangers did get a report of homosexual activity, but found nothing when he investigated it.

A spokesman said: "We assumed this to be an isolated incident."

The ranger did report the incident to police.

The spokeswoman said Sidcup Place did get an out-of-hours patrol because of anti-social behaviour.

Staff would now be asked to look out for men loitering in the area.

She added rangers would also be discussing the situation with the local policing team to see if it can provide "a more visible presence during the day".

The spokeswoman says members of the public should call the police if they were concerned about anything they see.

Sidcup councillor Mike Slaughter has promised to visit the play park to look into the matter.

Bexley police told News Shopper they had no-one available to comment on the situation.